Posted by Steve K on April 27, 2002 at 17:48:11:
In Reply to: Dixieland Band? posted by Chris Cole on April 27, 2002 at 16:32:53:
I bought a small BBb sousaphone (Bohm & Meinl) last year on an auction site. I use it for my Dixieland gigs and it's just about perfect. Sure, I'd love a larger sousaphone like a Conn 20K or the like, but I can't afford that. Plus the small sousa has the advantage of being lighter to carry around and it doesn't overpower the smaller ensemble.
IMHO, a small sousa (Bb or Eb) is the way to go for Dixieland. (Although, I must confess, I've never tried a helicon.)